North Florida & South Georgia fallen officers to be honored at candlelight vigil for National Police Week

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) - On Friday night, thousands of law enforcement and survivors of the fallen will take part in a candlelight vigil in Washington, D.C. as part of National Police Week.

This year’s vigil will honor the 611 men and women who died in the line of duty this year.

And as WCTV’s Abby Walton shares, six of them are from the Big Bend and South Georgia.

Whitney Cloud was a correctional officer trainee at the Florida Department of Corrections, Jefferson Correctional Institution.

On April 20, 2022, the FDC hosted its annual memorial ceremony at the Wakulla Correctional Institution in Crawfordville.

There, CO Cloud’s name was added to their memorial wall.

CO Cloud died August 28, 2021, after an accidental discharge during firearms training at the academy in Wakulla.

CO Cloud started her public safety career with the department just two months prior.

“I remember interviewing Miss Cloud and she said she was very passionate about it. She had an uncle that worked in Miami, who was a deputy and she wanted to follow in his footsteps and become, pursue possibly later on, becoming a deputy herself,” Eddie Jones, Warden at the Jefferson Correctional Institution, said.

CO Whitney Cloud was 25-years old.

To watch tonight’s candlelight vigil in Washington, D.C., follow this link.